Daily Archives: March 2, 2018
2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata To Get 181 Ponies
The Mazda MX-5 Miata has never been known to produce as much power as its contemporaries. The current model of the Miata only has 155 horsepower, which is much less than the power produced by the previous generation of the car. That will soon change, however, as reports said Mazda is giving the 2019 MX-5 Miata a bump of 26 horsepower to see the current production to 181 ponies.
This became evident in the VIN notice sent by Mazda to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that listed the 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata as having a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that can produce 181 horsepower. That is 26 more horsepower than the current generation has now. It is also the most every from a production model Miata.
What the NHTSA document failed to specify is if the 2.0-liter engine is only an evolution of same Skyactiv-G unit currently found in the Miata. The brand is about to come out with a “high-tech, gas-fed supercharged, compression-ignition-capable” Skyactiv-X engine sometime in the next year or so. This will be used on the next-generation Mazda 3 compact. It is estimated to have an output of 181 horsepower, the same one listed for the 2019 Miata.
For the next models, we’re expecting the Skyactiv-G to position itself as a cheaper alternative to the Skyactiv-X. It could be an entry-level option and still receive developments and updates from Mazda. The automaker confirmed nothing short of that. With that being said, it’s not entirely impossible for the Skyactiv-G to still be the engine we’ll see on the 2019 Miata, considering that it is highly capable of the additional 26 horsepower needed for this new Miata.
Once upgraded, the G would have better intake and exhaust plumbing while the engine internals will rise by a few hundred revolutions per minute. The Skyactiv-G engine has a 13:1 compression ratio and uses premium gasoline.
2019 Jaguar I-Pace Giving Tesla A Run For Its Money
Oh, there’s nothing much here except Jaguar revealed that its all-electric I-Pace is due to be released and distributed next year. That only means one thing: Tesla’s monopoly of the EV market is done and over. For years, whenever some rich dude wanted a cool, sexy, functional, and reliable electric vehicle, all he has to choose from are Tesla products. That’s about to change now.
If there’s anything we learned from Tesla regarding EVs it’s that an electric car must have a long driving range and the recharging of battery must be convenient. Now that luxury automakers like Jaguar dipped their well-engineered minds into the market, Tesla will have serious competitions in this market. The new 2019 Jaguar I-Pace is the first luxury EV to roll into distributorship.
Two e-Machines
According to reports, the I-Pace is going to be powered by two electric motors, or e-machines in Jaguar jargon. The first one is responsible for driving the front wheels and the second one will be driving the rear wheels through concentric drive transmissions. The I-Pace is a pure electric five-passenger luxury crossover SUV with a standard all-wheel drive.
Everything is developed in-house at Jaguar, including the permanent magnet motors, the battery concept and design, and the software that controls the powertrain and manages the battery. There’s no confirmation from the luxury automaker about the outputs for the I-Pace, but Patel confirmed that it will have an output of 400 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. It will also have a range of 300 miles before a recharge is needed.
There are no details yet about the pricing, but Jaguar said that it will release the list on March 6, 2018, which isn’t really too far from where we are now. Once it goes on sale, the I-Pace will be offered in three trim levels: S, SE, and HSE. There’s, of course, a limited production First Edition version that will be priced higher than the actual production model.
A Look at the Major Changes in the 2020 Hyundai Tucson
Spy shots of the prototype of the 2020 Hyundai Tucson revealed major changes are in the works for this next-generation compact SUV from the South Korean brand. The prototype showed that there are a number of updates on the exterior and the cabin of the popular SUV.
The changes are quite significant, according to a report on Motor Authority, as there will be new lights and a new grille even. Based on the hints we’re getting, we won’t be surprised if we get a Tucson that follows some of the details and changes on the new 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe. We all know there was a huge positive reception to the Santa Fe, so what’s stopping the South Korean automaker from making similar changes to the Tucson?
Inside the cabin, the center stack was completely redesigned by foregoing the integrated infotainment screen on the current Tucson and replacing it with a tacked-on screen. This is a design that Hyundai has been introducing on its latest models.
There’s no word yet on whether there will be upgrades on the powertrains but what’s on the current Tucson model might be carried over to the 2020 model. They’re all pretty okay, so far. This means that buyers will have the option to choose between a 2.0 liter inline-4 that can produce 164 horsepower or a 1.6-liter turbo inline-4 with 174 horsepower on tap.
Admittedly, there are still a lot of missing information here. But hopefully, we get more details as the plans for Tucson emerge. It is, after all, due for a release next year as a 2020 model.
Like many automakers, Hyundai is heavily investing on its line of SUVs and compact SUVs. The Kona was recently launched and the new Santa Fe will soon be available in showrooms. Another update from Hyundai is that it’s currently working on a three-row SUV.
